Shirt pressing machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for finishing laundered and drycleaned shirts employs an expandable permeable fabric form into which a mixture of hot air and dry steam are introduced. The form is adjustable for different shirt sizes and is surmounted by a partible collar shaper. The machine has an internal front counter presser plate and an outer cooperating, separately-heated, front pressure plate, suitable bottom edge clips, a front edge top and bottom clip assembly, and a back pressure plate that is termed a shirt tail finisher. The fabric form has a backwardly-positioned lower bustlelike secondary or auxiliary form that cooperates with the back pressure plate to give an outwardly-diverging expanding action to a shirt tail being finished. The form has portions of increased permeability opposite seamed or thickened portions of the shirt and makes use of metal plate means for finishing pockets. The machine operates in a substantially automatic cycle and is provided with cuff-gripping means that accommodates to any suitable length of sleeve and to short sleeves.

I United States Patent 3,568,900 [72] Inventor August F. Paris 3,462,051 8/1969 'SchlemonQ 223/70- 1415 McCullough Ave, Brockway, Pa. I 3,477,621 11/1969 Forse 223/70x [2]] P No Primary Examiner-Patrick D. l awson I Assistant Examiner-G. V. Larkln [22] Filed Oct. 27,1969 A G M C d [45] Patented Ming, rtorneyreen, c a ister an 1 er ABSTRACT: A machine for finishin laundered and 8 [54] SHIRT PRESSING MACHINE drycleaned shirts employs an expandable permeable fabric 23 Claims, 27 Drawing Figs form into which a mixture of hot 811! and dry steam are introduced. The form is ad ustable for different shirt sizes and is fits-(glsurmounted by a panible collar shapeig The machine has an i r l f t u t r resser plate and an outer cooperating, separately-heated, front pressure plate, suitable bottom edge [50] Field ol'Search 223/57, 73, clips, 3 front edge top and bottom clip assembly, and a back [5 6] References Cited UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 2,172,857 9/1939 Steele 2,969,897 1/1961 Paris... 3,216,633 11/1965 Paris.... 3,333,747 8/1967 Glover. 3,378,179 4/1968 Forse 3,385,485 5/1968 Aloi pressure plate that is termed a shirt tail finisher. The fabric form has a backwardly-positioned lower bustlelike secondary or auxiliary form that cooperates with the back pressure plate to give an outwardly-diverging expanding action to a shirt tail being finished. The form has portions of increased permeability opposite seamed or thickened portions of the shirt and V makes use of metal plate means for finishing pockets. The machine operates in a substantially automatic cycle and is provided with cuff-gripping means: that accommodates to an suitable length of sleeve and to short sleeves.

PATENTED "AR 9 I97| sum 2 or 7 'INVENTOR.

AUGUST F. PARIS -H/$ ATTORNE VS PATENTED MAR 9 15m SHEET 3 [IF 7 INVENTOR. AUGUST F. PARIS H/S A T TORNE V5 PATENTEDIHAR 9 ml SHEET 0F 7 S R mA DI m, mrr T S U G U A H/S A T TORNEVS PATENTEUHAR 9l97| 3.568300 SHEET 6 0F 7 INVENTOR.

AUGUST F. PARIS H/S ATTORNEYS PATENTEUMAR 9m 3.568300 snmvuw INVENTGR.

AU G U ST F'. PA R I S H/S A T T 0 ENE VS that is suitable for producing a finished conditioning of an article of clothing such as a shirt. A phase of the invention deals with high-quality soft-finishing of cotton, nylon and quick-drying synthetic, laundered as well as dry cleaned shirts, such as those of polyester-cotton blends, synthetics and dura-press materials.

There has been a need for an improved pressing machine or apparatus for shirts that will do a finished job and will have means for accommodating its operation to the particular size of the shirt, length and type of sleeves and that can be relatively simply operated to provide an improved finishing operation.

It has thus been an object of the invention to devise a fully adaptable and improved apparatus or machine for finishing laundered and dry cleaned garments such as shirts and similar articles of clothing that will give a soft, uniform finish substantially corresponding to that of a new article of clothing and as distinguished from a glossy finish such as produced on a heavily starched fine cotton broadcloth shirt by a conventional hothead press.

Another object has been to devise means for better accommodating the finishing operation on a shirt to actual size limits thereof throughout its main body, for its sleeves, and at its collar.

A further object of the invention has been to provide a shirt finishing machine that will minimize deficiencies heretofore encountered and that will produce a substantially uniform, quick-acting, soft-finishing operation that is proportioned to the thickness of the fabric of the shirt throughout its extent, so as to accomplish a substantially equal completion of drying or finishing as to single-thickness and dual-thickness portions thereof and, in a minimum of time.

A further object of the invention has been to provide a machine that will better accommodate its finishing action to the desired finished shape of an article of clothing.

A still further object of the invention has been to devise an improved shirt finishing machine that enables a quick and accuratepositioning of the shirt for, and an improved and quick accomplishing of a finishing operation.

These and other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiment and the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG.,1 is a front view in elevation showing a machine constructed in accordance with the invention with a finishprocessed shirt positioned thereon, representing the completion of a finishing operation on the shirt;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental perspective view on a slightly en larged scale showing in elevation the construction of one of the pair of cuff clamps of FIG. I in an open position and adjusted for gripping the cuffs of a long sleeve shirt;

FIG. 3 is a perspective detail in elevation of the cuff clamping unit of FIG. 2 on the same scale but as adjusted and turned for gripping a short sleeve shirt;

FIG. 4 is a back view in elevation of operating means including a fluid motor and springs for operating the cuff clamp unit of FIGS. 2 and 3 for opening and closing its gripping or clamping pads;

FIG. 5 is an elevational fragment on the scale of FIGS. 2 to 4, illustrating details of the construction of a spring-pressed shirttail clamp or gripping means;

FIG. 6 is 'a vertical front to side fragment on the scale of FIG. 5, enlarged with respect to FIG. 1, through an upper portion of the machine, showing the upper portion of its fabric form, a collar shaper, a collar clip, and an outer front presser plate of FIG. 1; this view further illustrates providing the fabric expander form or bag with local areas or portions of greater permeability or of different characteristics, such as for drying the pocket of the shirt or the shoulder which has a greater thickness due to a top seam;

FIG. 7 is a full-size fragmental elevation illustrating the perforated construction of a front, centrally upwardly extending,

counterpressure channel member of a suitable metal such as aluminum which projects upwardly within the fabric form and which cooperates as a counter pressure plate with a front, outer pressure plate;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, illustrating a perforated aluminum face plate or sheet, such as used as a superimposed .piece over a larger mesh window in the fabric form which serves as a pressure plate for forming a pocket of the shirt;

FIG. 9 is an elevational section on double the scale of FIGS. 7 and 8 through fabriclike resin material which is used to provide gripping action on inner portionsof the shirt to aid in holding the shirt down on the fabric or nylon form;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIGS. 7 and 8 which illustrates a nylon mesh material that may be used on the form of FIGS. 1 and 6 as a sewed-on piece for providing greater flow openings for the mixture of steam and hot air at places where the fabric of the shirt is doubled or of thickened construction, such as along the shoulders as shown in FIG. 6 and such as at the pocket toserve as a backing for a perforated aluminum face plate;

FIG. 11 is a horizontal section on an enlarged scale with respect to FIG. 6 taken along the line XI-XI thereof to particularly illustrate details of the construction of the front face plate, including its auxiliary or separate heating and temperature control means;

FIG. 12 is a vertical view in elevation on an enlarged scale with respect to FIG. 1 and on the scale of FIG. 6, showing a lower back part of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention, with internal counter pressure plate or post means, shaft and pulley means, and front pressure plate means omitted for clarity, but showing details of lower portions of the machine, of back or shirttail pressure plate means, of a secondary or auxiliary bustlelike form, of cord means for adjusting the size or the diameter of the main fabric form, and further il lustrating adhesivelike resin fabric means, as represented by sewing on fabric strips of the material of FIG. 9, to aid in retaining the shirt in a proper position on the auxiliary form;

FIG. 13 is a back vertical fragmental view of a modified construction illustrating the use of a fabric or nylon netting portion or insert in the form for faster drying action on thicker yoke portions of the shirt being finished; this view also illustrates a form particularly suitable for short sleeve shirts;

FIG. 14 is a horizontal section taken through a bottom portion of a collapsed fabric form and illustrating the mounting and the collapsed shape of the auxiliary or bustle portion of FIG. 12 before air and steam have been admitted;

FIG. 14A is a view similar to FIG. 14 but additionally showing the back pressure plate in position and the outward and then side-expanding action on the bustle portion as accomplished when hot air and steam are applied to expand the form within a shirt being processed;

FIG. 15 is a greatly reduced view in elevation that illustrates side-positioned rod reinforcing of the fabric expansion form, and that further illustrates the mounting of the bustle portion and the use of varied size holes from the main body of the form to the bustle portion for supplying the mixture of hot air and steam thereto;

FIG. 15A is a vertical section across the narrow side of the fabric form on the scale of FIG. 14A, particularly illustrating a wrinkle-eliminating assembly;

FIG. 15B is a horizontal section on the scale of and taken along the line XVB-XVB of FIG. 15A;

FIG. 16 is a view on the scale of FIG. 6 in vertical elevation and illustrating the backup channel member that serves as an internal counter pressure plate means; it further illustrates how perforated pocket pressure plates are removably mounted on the fonn for pressing one or a pair of pockets in a shirt being finished;

FIG. 17 is a horizontal section taken along the line XVII-X- VII of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a vertical view in elevation on the scale of FIG. 17, illustrating inner framework of the machine of the invention, with the fabric form removed; itparticularly illustrates a central shaft and pulleys mounted thereon and cable means for adjusting the size of the chest and waist portion of the form to the size of the shirt being finished;

FIG. 19 is a horizontally exploded view on the scale of FIG. 18 illustrating details of the construction and mounting of pulley and cord means for adjusting the shape of the body of the permeable form or expansible bag to the shape of the particular shirt being processed;

FIG. 20 is a greatly enlarged horizontal fragment illustrating details of the construction and mounting of a top one of the pulleys shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a perspective side view in elevation of a metal bottom frame and wind box construction showing outer, front and back pressure plates, fluid supply means for the machine, but with the central framework and pulley system and fabric form removed;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view in elevation on the scale of FIG. 21 and taken from the opposite side of the machine or apparatus to particularly illustrate air supply means, an air heating and steam supply chamber with radiator sections or coils removed, a fluid motor for operating a front pressure clamp, and a lever mechanism for adjusting the form through its body to the size of the shirt;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged side view in elevation taken from the same side as FIG. 22, but showing a double-closed radiator coil system for steam in a mounted position within the air heating chamber particularly illustrated in FIG. 22; and

FIG. 24 is an end fragment illustrating fin-loaded steam coils of the enclosed radiator air heating system particularly illustrated in FIG. 23.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 12 and 21, a metal boxlike structure N defines an air heating and conditioning chamber of a lower support structure A of a machine 10. A top reinforcing plate member has a ring or annularlike form mounting structure 16 secured, as by metal screws 17, to project upwardly from the roof at one end portion of the structure N to removably receive a bottom edge portion of a permeable fabric or nylon shirt finishing form or bag F (see FIG. 1). The ring structure 16 surmounts a circular air and steam flow upper window or open portion in the chamber of the structure N that has a strong, wide mesh metal screen and a steamer unit P centrally disposed and mounted with respect to the screen 20, see FIGS. 12 and 23. The screen 20 is secured to the plate member 15 about the periphery of its open portion by suitable means such as weld metal. The ring structure 16, as shown, has a lower, outwardly projecting, continuous mounting flange 16a (see FIG. 12) that is secured to the plate 15 and, adjacent its upper reaches, has a sidewise outwardly projecting, continuous, channel-shaped member 18 secured thereto and extending about its elliptical shape. The channelshaped member 18, as shown particularly in FIG. 12, serves to removably receive a bottom folded over and sewn edge portion 25 of the form F within which a continuous convoluted spring 26 is positioned; the spring resiliently holds the edge portion within the confines of the flanges of the channel member 18. The arrows of FIG. 12 indicate how the warmed air is moved upwardly into the fabric form or bag F in an encircling or surrounding relation with respect to dry steam which is being supplied centrally upwardly by a steamer unit P, such as disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 3 of my US. Pat. No. 3,254,813.

The front of the machine, as shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 21, has an upwardly projecting spring-supported front pressure plate assembly G. The assembly G is carried by an upright, channel-shaped mast 30 that is swingably mounted by a pin'30a, as shown in FIG. 22, to project upwardly from a stationary boxlike mount 31 whose angular leg portion 31a is secured on and projects horizontally outwardly from an outwardly extending shelf 32 on the structure N. A heavy U- shaped strap spring member 35 at its ends has flattened tab portions 35a that are secured by cross tabs 3512 on a front face plate 48 of the pressure plate assembly G (see FIGS. 1, 6 and 11). The spring 35 is, in turn, removably secured by a pair of bolt and nut assemblies 36 to the mast 30. The mast 30 is, at its lower end, pivotally carried in the stationary mount 31 for front and back swinging movement such that the assembly G will be moved into and out of engagement with a shirt, as positioned on the fabric bag or form F, and in opposition to an inner pressure plate assembly C (see FIGS. 6, 16 and 18). Swinging movement of the mast 30 is accomplished by a reversible fluid motor 37 (see FIG. 22) whose piston rod 37a is pivotally connected to the mast 30 at 30b. The lower end of the motor 37 is pivotally connected at 31b on the inner end portion of the leg 31a.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 12, the front pressure plate assembly G extends longitudinally upwardly or vertically along the front of the fabric form F and is utilized to press the front (button) edge portions of a shirt as spread apart, but held in position by a front top collar clip 51 and a bottom clip 56. The pressure plate assembly G is provided with its own auxiliary electric heating unit 40 (see FIG. 11) that extends longitudinally therealong and therewithin and is preferably of a commercially available Calrod type. The electric unit is set within a longitudinal recess in a substantially solid aluminum blocklike body 41 that has a front metal closure plate member 42. The unit 40 is controlled as to its temperature by a commercial type of thermostat 45 which is electrically connected between the unit and the wires of an electric input cable 46. The thermostat 45 is provided with a control knob 45a which may be temperature graduated in order to set it to operate at a suitable temperature for the particular type of shirt or the like that is being finished.

Again referring to FIG. 11, the front and side portions of the assembly G are insulated by layers of insulating material 47, such as asbestos sheathing, that are enclosed or held in place by spaced layers of stainless steel metal 48. The back face of the body 41 is shown provided with a hard-pressed, perforated, heat-resistant, spongelike rubber or resin pad 43 that, by reason of its resiliency, fits over the buttons of the shirt; it is secured to the body 41 in any suitable manner as by cementing. As shown in FIG. 21, the pad 43 has a bottom recess 43a thereon to bypass or receive bottom clip 56 (see FIG. 12).

With particular reference to FIG. 18, a vertically side-positioned, upright, longitudinally extending arm or support member of angle shape extends adjacent one side of upright, inner, skeleton frame structureB and, at its upper end 50a, is bent inwardly or angled to receive the upper collar clip 51 that is bolted thereto for movement into and out of clipping engagement with the bottom portion of a shirt collar. The arm or member 50 is an operating member and is pivoted by a bolt and nut assembly 52 on the frame B for in and out movement at its upper end. At its lower end, the member 50 is engaged by an air cylinder or fluid motor unit 55 that, when energized, moves the lower end of the member outwardly to thus move its upper end inwardly. The shirt front bottom clip 56 is carried by a horizontal extension piece 57a at the upper end of a second upright, arm or support member 57 that is pivoted to the frame structure B by bolt and nut assembly 58 and, at its lower end, is engaged by air motor unit 59 for also swinging its upper end inwardly and outwardly and thus, for swinging the bottom clip 56 in a corresponding manner into and out of engagement with front edges of a shirt to be finished. A vertical strip 54 of perforated aluminum (see FIG. 6 and a of FIG. 8) is secured as by metal screws at its upper and lower ends to a channel member 60 along the outside of the form F to receive the inner side of front parting edge portions of a shirt to be dry processed.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 18, the machine 10 has an inner, stationary, vertically extending, counterpresser means C in the form of a perforated metal channel 60 (see also FIG. 7) that projects upwardly within the from F and within upright, inner, skeleton metal frame B to cooperate with the front pressure plate assembly G. As shown particularly in FIG. 18, the member 60 has a closed heating coil system D that employs a pair of finned, steam-conducting pipe members 61 and 63 that extend vertically longitudinally therealong adjacent its side flanges, and that are connected at their upper ends by a pipe loop 62. Hot steam is introduced into the pipe 61 through an inlet 61a and cooled steam is passed out of the circulating system through an outlet 63a. Thus, both the inner or counterpresser means C and the outer or main presser means G are provided with their own individual heating means that is in addition to and that supplements heat supplied upwardly along the inside of the form F from the screen and steamer P of the lower support structure A. The counter presser means C, however, is stationary while the outer pressure-applying presser means G is adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly with respect to the shirt front and the form F by the double acting air cylinder or fluid motor 37 (see FIG. 22).

The shape or size of the fabric bag or form F, preferably of nylon, is adjusted to the size of the body of the shirt that is to be finished by a shaft, pulley and cord system E that is particularly illustrated in FIGS. 12, 18, 19 and 22. The system E comprises a vertically upwardly extending actuating shaft 65 that is journaled at 65a, 65b and 65c on cross members of the inner frame structure B. The shaft 65 carries a vertically spaced series of five pulleys of which three, 70, 75 and 78, are keyed or secured thereto for rotation therewithin in one direction and two, 71 and 72, are rotatably mounted thereon for independent movement in an opposite direction. Control of the size of the body of the bag or form F is manually effected by a hand lever arm 66 (see FIGS. 21 and 22) that projects upwardly from the structure A and is pivotally mounted at its lower end within a housing 67that projects fromone end of the structure A. As indicated, the housing 67 may have notches or teeth 67a (see FIG. 22) along its upper edge within which a latch end of a spring-pressed pullout release knob 66a may engage for retention at a desired position. Graduations 67b (see FIG. 21) are provided along the opposite side to correspond to different shirt sizes. A pair of cords 68 and 69 are secured to the lever 66 to extend through eyelets in the bottom portion of the form F and, asshown particularly in FIGS. 18 and 19, are secured at their inner ends to respectively reeve on a lowermost pulley. 70 and an upper pulley 72. The pulley 70 may be secured to the shaft 65 by a set screw 70a and is provided with suitable means, such as set screw 70b for retaining the end of the cord 68 secured thereto. The pulley 72 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 65 and carries a lower pulley 71 as an integral part thereof for rotation therewith. It will be noted that reeving of the cord 68 with respect to the pulley 70 is opposite to the reeving of the cord 69 with respect to the pulley 72, whereby the two pulleys always move or rotate in opposite directions Withrespect to each other.

It will be apparent that manual back and forth movement of the lever arm 66 (see FIGS. 18 and 19) will enable the fabric bag or form F to be sized for a particular shirt. The cords 68 and 69 are thus actuated to, in effect, prescribe limits of the shape or size which the form F will attain on the application of air-steam expansion force or pressure. Such back and forth movement causes a corresponding back and forth or clockwise and counterclockwise turning movement of the pulley 70 and the shaft 65 and a corresponding counter clockwise and clockwise turning movement of the pulleys 71 and 72. This will, in turn, actuate upwardly spaced-apart pulleys 76 and 77 that are secured on the shaft 65 by set screws 75a and 7811. When the lever arm 66 is moved to a particular position and fluid expansion force is then applied to the inside of the form F, the form or bag F will then fill out to the extent permitted by the adjusted position of the lever arm.

The second pulley 71 and an associated guide pulley 73 have a pair of cords 74 that extend outwardly of the frame B for securing to eyelets that are carried by an associatedinner side of the form F. The inner end portions of the cords 74 pass over guide pulley 73 and are connected to the pulley 72 for decreasing the size of the bag F when the pulley 72 and thus the pulley 71 move or rotate counterclockwise about the shaft 65. A pair of cords 77 interleave over a guide pulley 76 and are connected at their inner ends to the fourth pulley 75. The outer ends of the cords 77 are connected to a pair of eyelets that are carried by an opposite side of bag or form F. Thus, clockwise rotation of the shaft 65 and of the pulley 75 will cause the strings or cords 77 to pull inwardly and reduce the size of the form. Fifth pulley 78 has a pair of cords 79 extend.- ing from one side thereof and a second pair of cords 80 extending from an opposite side thereof. The cords of each pair 79 and 80 are at their outer ends secured to rings that are carried by opposite sides of the bag or form F. It will be apparent that when the pulley 78 is rotated or turned clockwise by the shaft 65, its cords will pull the opposite sides of the form F to which they are connected for reducing the diameter of the form. In FIG. 19, the cords are shown in a position representing a maximum outward or diametrical expansion or extension of the bag or form F, for example, to receive a maximum size of shirt body such as embodied in a shirt having a size 18 neck.

In FIG. 20, a representative method of securing the loop ends of the cords to an associated pulley is illustrated. In this connection, it will be noted that the cord pair 80 extends through a hole in the flange of the pulley 78 and is locked in position by set screw and washer assembly 78b that is screwed into a side of the pulley. As shown in FIG. 18, pulleys 71 and 72 are positioned within a boxlike, upwardly open enclosure 81, pulley 75 within enclosure 82, and pulley 78 within enclosure 83.

With reference to FIG, 12, the fabric form or bag F is shown provided with a series of sewed on fabric pieces b along its opposite sides that definevertical pockets within which suitable reinforcing and stifi'ening metal rods or bars are positioned. As exemplified, the cords 79 and 80 of FIG. 12 are, at their outer ends, connected through eyelets to a group of three chains 96 which, in turn, are connected at their inner ends to eyelets in the fabric pieces 90b. Thus, size reducing or adjusting action that is imparted to the form F is accomplished along its opposite sides in alignment with reinforcing rods 95and the pocket-defining pieces 90b. The cords 74 and 77 of FIGS. 18 and 19 are, in a like manner, connected at their outer ends to sides of the form F.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, the channel member 60 of the stationary counter pressure means C has a pair of side brackets 85 of angle shape that are secured to opposite side flanges thereof to project therefrom and upwardly. Each bracket 85 is securedby screw and bolt means 85a to a side flange of the channel 60 and has an upwardly projecting hinge pin or rod 86 secured thereto at its bottom, looped end by a nut and bolt assembly 87 and a spacer washer 88. Each pocket-forming part of the bag or form F, as shown in FIG. 17, has a window or cutout portion 90a in its fabric 90, a sewed on back positioning fabric netting of wide mesh 91 (see also 0 of FIG. 10) that extends across the opening, and a front-positioned, perforated aluminum plate 92 (see also a of FIG. 8) that is secured to the fabric 90 and the netting 91 by sewn threads 93a that extend through holes 93 (see also FIG. 16). Hinge 89 is secured by rivets 89a to the inner side of the bag, immediately over the sewed on netting 91 and to the frontpositioned, perforated aluminum plate 92 to form a composite structure. The brackets 85 thus may pivot or swing to accommodate them to various circumferences of the form and shirt sizes; they not only support the weight of the metal pocketforming plates 92, but also aid in positioning the bag or form F somewhat intermediate its height.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, the machine or apparatus 10 is also shown provided with a pair of transversely spaced-apart, upwardly extending, front-positioned, spring-loaded shirttail clamps 100. Each clamp has a hollow or tubular mounting arm 101 that is secured at its lower end by a cross-extending mounting tab 102 to a side plate member of the bottom struc ture A. The upper end of the arm 101 carries a spiral spring 106 to whose upper end a prong of a coil or bottom loop spring is attached. The spring 105, at its opposite ends,- terminates in a pair of clamping legs or arms 103 and 104 that are spring-pressed to normally resiliently close their associated inner and outer clamping pads 103a and 104a with respect to each other and, thus, on a lower edge or tail portion of a shirt. The leg 103 of the back clamping pad 103a projects downwardly forwardly of the leg 104 of the front clamping pad 104a and is connected at its lower end through the spring 105 to the leg 104 in such a manner that a manual closing grip of the hand of an operator about legs 103 and 104 will spread the pressure pads 103a and 104a apart to release the shirt. The spring 105 has a mounting pin 1050 that is secured to the upper end of a spiral spring 106 and the latter is secured at its lower end within the upper end of the mounting sleeve 101 by a mounting bolt 106a.

FIGS. 12, 14, 14A and 15 further illustrate the construction of the permeable fabric form or bag F which is preferably of closely woven nylon. FIG. shows the side rods 95 as well as illustrating that the form F is provided with an expansible back-positioned fabric bustle 110. With reference to FIGS. 6 and 18, the form F fits downwardly over and is adapted to rest upon a loop-shaped tubular shoulder frame member 53 that is securely mounted on an inverted, upwardly projecting channel-shaped member 49 that is carried on the upper end of the inner frame B and on which front half or pad 160 of a collar shaper assembly Q is secured. As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 14 and 14A, the bustle 110 constitutes an integral part of the form F and has a surplusage of material such that when the application of fluid pressure to the inside of the form F is discontinued, the bustle will tend to form loose side folds, such as illustrated in FIG. 14. As illustrated in FIGS. 14A and 15, a series of vertically spaced-apart, size-graduated holes or passageways 110a extend through the fabric form F to provide air and steam or fluid flow into the bustle from the main body of the form F.

After a shirt has been positioned on the form F and positive fluid (steam and air) flow is first applied, the expansion of the bustle, as illustrated in FIG. 14A, is substantially directly centrally, in line vertically outwardly until the back of the shirt directly and the bustle 110 indirectly engages an inner side of the back-presser assembly I. Then, the expansion is sidewise as indicated by the diagonal arrows of FIG. 14A, until the bustle 110 is completely expanded, as indicated by the dot and dash lines of the same FIG. This provides a full expansion of the form F within the shirt or other garment and its lower portions to prevent creases and maintain the garment in a relatively tight horizontal as well as vertical positioning on the form during the finishing operation.

As shown in FIG. 12, the back presser I is hinged at 115 to an upper platform portion of a vertically extending rigid structural framework J. The framework J is shown securely mounted by a pair of angle-shaped bottom feet or rail members 116 on a top plate member of the bottom structure A (see also FIG. 21). The back presser I has a perforated metal plate base part 117 of aluminum that is covered by or enclosed in a fabric cover 118, preferably of nylon. A straplike spring 119 has an upper foot 119a secured to the frame 1 and has a lower portion extending through a back opening in the cover 118 and provided with a lower foot that is free to abut the back of the plate base part 117. The spring 119 resiliently urges the presser I towards the form F in the area of the bustle 110 to, as shown in FIG. 14A, serve as a backing plate when the bustle is being expanded.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show sleeve clamping assemblies R which are provided at opposite ends of the lower structure A of the machine. In this connection, the structure A has a pair of closely spaced-apart, vertically extending and integrally connected together, side plate wings 120, each of which has a slotted opening or portion 120a therein to receive a lower end of rodlike support arm 121 for each clamping assembly R. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower end 121a of each arm 121 is flat tened and mounted by a pivot pin 121k on a bottom angle piece of a frame structure 144 for swinging movement along the associated slotted portion 120a.

Each rod 121 carries a slidablesleeve or tubular extension member 125 thereon that is adjustably locked in a suitable slidably telescoped position with position with respect to the rod 121 by a thumbscrew 125a. An angular bracket member 126 is at its lower end welded to the upper end of the tube 125, and has an upper end portion 126a carrying a side-projecting, threaded, guide lug or pin 127. A slide sleeve or adjustable tube member 128 is adapted to be carried on the end portion 126a and has a longitudinally extended slot portion 128a (see FIG. 2) thereon provided at each of its ends with transversely connected slotted portions 12% and 1280 that are adapted to latch-receive the guide lug 127. FIG. 2 shows the guide lug 127 in the latching slot 128c which represents a collapsed, inwardly telescoped position of the slide sleeve 128 that is a positioning at which the assembly R may be used for clamping prepressed sleeve hems or cuffs of a long sleeve shirt. In FIG. 3, the slide sleeve 128 has been telescoped outwardly and turned about with its slot portion l28b in latching engagement with the lug 127. This position represents a position at which the assembly R may be used for gripping the hem or cuffs of a short sleeve shirt.

The housing of a fluid cylinder or motor unit 130 having a positive forward stroke and a spring return stroke is weldsecured to a side of the adjustable sleeve 128 to extend substantially vertically thereof. An outwardly projecting support arm is secured at its lower end to the housing of unit 130 and, at its forward or upper end, carries a presser pad 136 that may comprise an aluminum metal backing plate enclosed within a fabric or cloth cover. Piston rod of the unit 130 extends outwardly through the top end thereof and has a bifurcated end or clevis 130a to which a lower end of a second and swing arm 137 is pivotally secured. The arm 137 carries a presser pad 138 that is also preferably of a suitable metal such as aluminum having a fabric closure or cover for its gripping face. Forward end portion 138a of the pad 138 is slightly bent or angled outwardly to provide clearance for folds of the shirt sleeve adjacent the cuff which is to be gripped between the cooperating pads 136 and 138.

A cross-extending support mount 140 has a backwardly projecting post portion 141 that is secured to a side of the housing of the unit 130. The mount 140 has a bottom extension portion 142 that is secured to the stationary arm 136 to reinforce its mounting. The upper portion of the mount 140 is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, bifurcated to receive the arm 137 and has a cross-extending hole 140a therein to receive a crossextending pivot pin 137a that pivotally mounts the swing arm 137 thereon. It will thus be apparent that when fluid motor unit 130 is positively fluid actuated to move its piston upwardly outwardly, this will cause the arm 137 to pivot on pin 137a and move its pad 138 into close adjacency with the opposed pad 136 for gripping a cuff of a sleeve portion of a shirt as indicated by the dot and dash lines of FIG. 2. An opposite movement of the piston of the motor unit 130 will draw the back end of the arm 137 inwardly and thus move its pad 138 to the open or outer position shown by the full lines of FIG. 2; this is accomplished by a spring return means within the unit. The motor unit 130 has a flexible fluid or air pressure supply tubing or line 143 which is connected to a suitable source of fluid such as an air compressor. The application of positive fluid pressure to the motor unit 130 causes the pad 138 to close and will retain it in a closed position until the unit is deenergized, at which the spring of its spring loading moves its piston to an opposite or return position. The units 130 of the construction may be of any suitable commercially available type.

FIG. 4 is illustrative of means for pivotally mounting the lower end of each rod 121 within the portions 120 of the lower structure A for back and forth movement along the slotted portion 120a. A spiral cushioning spring 155 is connected between the rod 121 and a forward portion of the frame 144 to resiliently urge the lever 12.1 to the right or forwardly in FIG. 4 t0 thus cushion positive fluid-pressure-effected swing or movement of the rod 121 to the left or backwardly, such as accomplished for a longer sleeve shirt. A horizontally extending endwise-projecting tubular bumper member or part 145 is at its one end bifurcated t0 fit over and is secured to a vertical upright member 144a of the frame. At its forward end, the bumper member 145 has an adjustablebcit 146 that extends across the inner hollow portion thereof and when loosened is movable along a slot 1455a to adjust its positioning with respect to the front end of the bumper member 145. Spiral bumper or cushioning spring 147 is carried within the end of a member 145 by the adjustment bolt 146 to, at its forward end, abut against the rod 121.

A forward stroke or movement of the rod 121 is accomplished by an internal spring within a horizontally positioned fluid motor 150 that at its back end is pivotally secured on upright frame member 144a. Piston rod 151 is secured within a bifurcated bracket 153 by a pivot pin 152 to the rod 121. Thus, when positive fluid pressure, such as of air, is applied through flexible tubing 154 to the motor 150, this will move the piston to the left within its cylinder and cause the piston rod 151 to move the rod 121 from the dot and dash or a forward position of FIG. 4 to the full line position of the same FIG. against the resiliency of the internal spring. On the other hand, when fluid pressure is relieved by opening the fluid line 154 then the internal spring will function to move the arm 121 to the right along the slot 12011 from the fullline, left-hand position of FIG. 4. The spring 147 also serves to cushion backward movement of the rod 121, and valve means (not shown) connected to the line 154 can thus be utilized to move the rod 121 to a suitable position and to then hold it in such a position during thepressing operation.

Collar shaper assembly is illustrated particularly in FIG. 6. This assembly consists of a fixed-position semicircular front part or half 160 and a substantially complementary movably positioned semicircular back part or half 165. The front part 160 is, at its lower end, removably secured by metal screw means directly to the member 49 (see FIG. 18) and indirectly to the counter presser channel member 60 to project upwardly therefrom. The back part 165 is, on the other hand, removably and adjustably mounted on or with respect to the front part 160 by a pair of forwardly projecting, transversely spacedapart guide rods 166 that, at their inner ends, are weldsecured adjacentthe top of the part 165 to extend forwardly therefrom, through and in a sliding relation within a pair of horizontal sleeves 161 that extend through'the front part 160. The rods 166 are, at their outer ends, secured by screws to a cross-extending, removably, connecting or bridging part or piece 167 to limit the maximum separated adjustment of the parts 160, 165 with respect to each other. A rack element 168 is, at its inner end, pivotally mounted within the back part 165 to extend through a hole in the front part 160 that is between the rods 161. The rack 168 has undercut teeth that are adapted to engage an edge of the part 160 for retaining the two parts 160 and 165 in an adjusted relation with respect to each other that corresponds to the size of shirt collar that is being processed. The rack 168 extends through a central slot in the connecting piece 167, in order that it may be manually lifted or upwardly pivoted at its forward end out of a latched position to permit the part 165 and the rods 166 to be slid towards or away from the part 160. The assembly Q is primarily foruse in processing so-called dress shirts whose collars have been prepressed.

The back collar part or half 165, like the forward part 160, has a substantially hollow chamber that is closed fromits top and sides but open at its bottom end to receive steam and air from the form F which is positioned under or beneath the two colla'r parts. The back collar ,part 165 has a backwardly downwardly projecting attached tail or baffle portion of metal construction 169. The form F has an extension fabric or nylon pocket portion 170 provided with an open front end that enables it to be slipped on the tail portion 169 to prevent escape of steam. Steam and air thus may be directed upwardly into hollow parts 160 and 165 from the fabric formF.

With reference to FIG. 6, fabric mesh or netting 175 is shown secured over openings in the upper shoulder portions of the form F toprovide greater air and steam flow thereat. See representative mesh material 0 of FIG. 10. FIG. 13 shows a modified construction of the form or bag F which has a cutout portion or window to the edges of which a piece of fabric or nylon netting 174 (seealso the material c) is sewed at a position representing the yoke of the shirt that is to be finished. The purpose is to provide an increased flow or supply of hot air and steam where the material of the shirt is doubled, in order that it will be conditioned or dried at the same rate as single thickness cloth portions of the shirt. Zippers or slide fasteners 177 are shown in FIG. 13 to enable providing the form F with different lengths of sleeves, if desired. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 12, vertically extending slide fasteners 178 may be provided to facilitate access to the inside of the form F, as well as inspection, adjustment or repair of inner parts of the machine or apparatus 10 without removing the form.

With reference to FIGS. 12, 21, 22, and 24, the bottom structure A has a pair of boxlike parts or structures M and N that extend at right angles to the members of FIG. 1 and provide chambers for introducing and heat-conditioning air as well as for supplying steam to a shirt-finishing operation. A variable speed electric blower motor K has a belt-drive connection with an air blower L which draws air in through louvres 180 and screen 180a at one end and in a slide of a boxlike enclosure M that defines an air input chamber. The air then passes into conditioning chamber defined by the boxlike structural enclosure N through a cross-extending opening 181 whose size is controlled by a cross-extending door 182. The door 182 is pivotally mounted on a cross-extending shaft 183 having an extending operating arm 184 and a spring-pressed position-retaining latch pin 185. It will be noted that the latch pin 185 is adapted to be positioned within one of a series of holes or slots in the side of the boxlike structure M. Air enters the heating or conditioning chamber of N in the direction of the arrows of FIG. 22, and is then directed upwardly to exit therefrom through the. wire mesh grating 20 and about the steamer unit P.

A pair of steam coil or radiator assemblies 187 and 188 are adapted to be positioned within the chamber of N to provide a steam heating system 0 for the air being introduced. In this connection, the assembly .187 is of rectangular shape and fits in the back end of the compartment, while the assemblyl88 is of L shape and has a front positioning in the compartment, but has a portion that extends backwardlly above the assembly 187. Hot steam from a suitable generator is introduced by input main or pipe into a steam separator box or compartment 191, see particularly FIGS. 21 and 23. The box 190 is mounted within a steplike baffle assembly 186 and in its front wall has a pair of outlets 192, 193 that represent inlets respectively for the steam coil assemblies 187' and 188. Cooled steam leaves the assemblies 187 and 188 through outlets 187a and 188a and an outlet main or pipe 194. A condenser is connected to the pipe 194 by a branch line 194a and has a nipple connection 195a for receiving a flexible hose. The flexible hose (not shown) may be connected to a fine spray head to spray outer surface portions of the garment or shirt being processed to provide it with any needed additional moisture.

To assure that the steam that is being introduced into the steamer unit P is substantially dry, a vertical baffle plate 191a projects downwardly within steam box or enclosure 191 in front of the inlet pipe 190 to provide a down and upward path for the steam, such as to cause condensate or moisture to drop into and collect within the bottom of the box 191. Dry steam for the steamer P is taken through the front wall of the box or enclosure 191 along piping or supply line 196. A supplemental baffle plate of angle shape l91b projects downwardly along the front wall in front of the inlets 192 and 193 to the radiator assemblies 187 and 188 to further isolate the flow of dry steam into the supply line 196. Since the assemblies 187 and 188 provide closed coil systems, it is immaterial whether moisture is moved therethrou'gh, thus it is taken off through the coil system 187 and discharged into the outlet main or pipe 194.

Since, as shown in FIG. 24, the pipe members or tubes of the assemblies 187 and 188 are finned along their lengths, as by copper or aluminum pieces, a maximum transfer of heat through the walls of the tube members: is accomplished to the air which is flowing into and about and out of the conditioning chamber of N. FIG. 22 shows an air timer 200 of commercial construction that is used to control the operation of the motor K and also for setting its speed to provide a desired supply of air to the chamber of the structure N. An air timer 200A, also of commercial construction, is provided to regulate opening and closing movement of the front clamp or pressure plate means G, as accomplished by dual acting fluid motor 37. Steam timer 200B, also of a commercial type, is shown mounted on the box structure M for operating a control valve in the steam supply pipeline 190 to regulate the supply of steam and to also regulate the amount to provide a desired clothing-conditioning temperature.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a foot pedal control S is shown for moving the collar clip 51 inwardly to a collargripping position through the agency of its support member 50 and fluid motor 55 and for simultaneously moving the bottom clip 56 inwardly into a shirt-gripping position through the agency of its fluid motor 59 and member 57. The cuff-gripping solenoids of the units R are controlled by a foot pedal switch T, and a valve for opening and shutting off steam flow to the inlet pipe 190 is actuated by foot pedal U.

The machine may be operated in accordance with the following sequency of steps: First, the shirt to be conditioned is placed on or over the bag form F, then a front-positioned switch V may be pushed in by the knee of the operator to actuate the motor 59 to move the bottom clip 56 (see FIG. 18) into a shirt front strip gripping position. Thereafter, switch W may be pushed in by hand to cause energization of fluid motor 55 to move the upper clip 51 into holding engagement with an upper neck edge or strip portion of the shirt. The foot pedal S may then be pushed in to actuate the motor 37 to move the front pressure plate assembly G into holding engagement with the open front edges or strip lengths of the shirt and on the form F along the perforated aluminum pressure plate member 54 that is secured over the front of the bag or form F and in alignment with the perforated channel 60 of the inner frame structure 13. The lever 66 may then be operated to adjust the size of the body of the form F to the size of the particular shirt that is positioned thereon through the agency of the pulley and shaft system E and the associated side-connected drawstrings or cords. At this time, the relationship between the two parts of the collar 0 may be manually adjusted to the particular size collar of the shirt by utilizing the ratchet arm 168.

The shirt bottom edge or tail gripping clamps 100 (FIG. 1) may be manually operated to grip the bottom edges of the shirt and resiliently hold it down on the form F. The cuff clamp units or assemblies R are then swung inwardly or outwardly on their support rods 121 by manually operating a valve leading to the fluid motor 150 to accommodate each unit to the sleeve length of the shirt. Ordinarily an operation will be continued for a group of long sleeved shirts and then for a group of short sleeved shirts. If a short sleeved shirt is to be conditioned, then a manual change in position of the parts of each unit R is made from the telescoped position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3. When the units R are suitably adjusted, then foot pedal T is operated to actuate the motor units 130 and close the pads of the units on the shirt cuffs.

Finally, foot pedal U may be operated to open a valve in the main steam pipeline 190 and to simultaneously close a switch to actuate the blower motor K, in order to then supply a mixture of hot air and dry steam to the lower structure A and upwardly from the box N into the from F to thereby expand it and its bustle 110 to the requisite size and pass the steam and air through the permeable cloth to soft finish the shirt. The dials of the timers 200, 200A and 2003 may be adjusted to set the apparatus for a desired automatic, timed operation.

The main body of the form or bag F is a taffetalike nylon material to provide a permeable but somewhat slow flow of the hot fluid mixture through the form to the shirt. As previously pointed out, doubled or reinforced parts of the garment being processed may be backed up by more permeable portionsof the form F (see the material c) in order to pass the fluid mixture therethrough at substantially the same drying rate as the single layer or portions of the shirt. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 12, pieces or strips of a closely knit, tough, resinlike woven fabric b, such as illustrated in FIG. 9, may be employed to better retain the shirt in position on the from F. For example, as shown in these FIGS., peripherally spaced-apart and vertically extending pieces of such material 111, 112, and 113 may be cemented or sewed on the outer side of the form A at suitable locations therealong. Also, the inner side of the upper clip 51 may have a facing 51a of the material b and the bottom clip 56 may have a similar facing 56a along its inner side. The material b may be a commercial material such as Velcro, described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,717,437. The perforated aluminum sheet material a illustrated in FIG. 8 is shown used for the front pressure strip 54, the pocket patch parts 92 of the form, and the inner metal base support structure 117 for the backor tail-finishing pressure plate assembly means I.

FIGS. 15A and 15B and 18 are illustrative of a further feature of the construction that assures the elimination of any wrinkles in the form F along its chest and bust portions that might otherwise show up in the form of wrinkles in the processed shirt or garment. A pair of spaced-apart vertically or longitudinally extending, somewhat rigid stiffening bars or strip members 205 of a suitable material, such as stainless steel, are mounted to extend from the armpits or sides of the form F adjacent air passageway holes d for supplying processing fluid to sleeves of the shirt or other garment. As shown in FIG. 15A, each. stiffening strip or bar 205 is, at its ends, mounted within a pair of upper and lower fabric pockets 90f and 900 that are sewed to the inner side of the fabric form or bag F. If desired, weights 210 may be connected through chain links 206, an eyelet 207, and a cord or string 208 to a top end portion of each member 205 in order to provide a maintained pulling-in tension on the form F along its sides at opposite side pairs of stiffening members 205. As shown particularly in FIGS. 15B and 18, each cord 208 interleaves over a pulley wheel 209 that is rotatably carried on an upper cross member of the inner frame B.

The above described construction facilitates dressing the apparatus or machine and entirely eliminates the need to pull the garment or shirt downwardly by hand, and assures an improved finishing of the garment. waistline wrinkles have been entirely eliminated. As shown particularly in FIGS. 15A and 158, it is desirable to provide slide fastener assemblies 179 along the form or bag F between each side pair of bars or strips 205. This provides ready access to the in erior of the bag and to the cords, such as 208 as well as the cords shown in FIGS. 18 to 20 that are employed to adjust the size of the form F. Since, as indicated in FIG. 18, the system of FIG. 15B is located above the top pulley 78 of the size-adjusting system F, there is a cooperative action attained without any adverse interference therebetween. If desired, the strips 205 instead of terminating above the rods 95, may be extended to take the place of each innermost pair of rods 95.

Iclaim:

1. In a machine for finishing a shirtlike garment having a base part, having an upright frame, having a permeable fabric form that is open at its bottom end portion and adapted to be carried by the upright frame to receive a garment thereon, and having means for supplying hot drying fluid upwardly therewithin from the base part through the open bottom end portion of the form; a pair of cuff-clamping and sleevestretching units projecting upwardly from opposite sides of the base part into alignment with the shoulder portions of the fabric form; each of said stretching units having a pair of opposed gripping pads, means for moving said pads into and out of clamping engagement with a sleeve cuff of a garment positioned on the form for finishing; operating means carried by the base part for moving each of said stretching units inwardly and outwardly with respect to cuff portions of the garment, and each of said cuff-gripping and sleeve-stretching units having horizontally offset adjustable means for accommodating its pair of gripping'pads to both long sleeve and short sleeve shirtlike garments.

2. in a machine as defined in claim 1, said adjustable means having an angle bracket for supporting each of said pair of opposed gripping pads and a sleeve for adjustably mounting each gripping pad with an associated one of said angle brackets.

3. in a machine as defined in claim 1, a fluid motor cooperating with said operating means for moving each of said stretching units outwardly in a sleeve-stretching relation, and said operating means having a swing arm operatively connected between said fluid motor and an associated pair of said gripping pads. m

4. in a machine as defined in claim 1, an inner vertically extending and forwardly positioned presser plate means carried by the upright frame along an inside front portion of the form, a perforating metal strip secured along the outside of said form to receive an inner side of front parting edge portions of a shirt to be processed, an outer front presser plate means extending vertically along the outside of the form and operatively mounted for in and out swinging movement with respect to the form, and means for swinging said outer front presser plate means into and out of pressing engagement'with a'front portion of the garment in an aligned cooperating relation with respect to said inner presser plate means and said perforated metal strip. 7

5. In a machine as defined in claim 4, a heat-resistant resin pad positioned along the inner side of said front pressure plate means, heat-generating means carried by and along said front pressure plate means, said pad being perforated to pass heat from said heating means along a front portion of shirtlike garment being processed, and being resilient to fit over buttons of the garment.

6. In a machine as means for said front pressure plate meansbeing an electric heating unit, and a coil heating system extending along said inner pressure plate means and connected to receive hot dryingfluid from said means for supplying it upwardly from the base part.

TM a machine as defined in claim 1, an adjustable shirt collar finishing shaper surmounting a central top portion of the form and connected thereto to receive the hot drying fluid therefrom, said shaper having a back part mounted on and extending upwardly from the form and having a front part mounted on and extending upwardly from said upright frame, cooperating means connecting said collar parts together for adjusting movement to conform to the shape of a collar of a shirtlike garment to be finished; said cooperating means comprising, a pair of rods carried by said back collar part and slidably extending through said front part, and a rack pivotally mounted on said back part and extending through said front part to provide for backward and forward movement of said front part with respect to said back part.

8. in a machine defined in claim 1 wherein the hot drying fluid is a mixture of dry steam and hot air, a fabric bustle secured to and projecting backwardly from the form, means between said bustle and the form for passing steam and hot air from the form into the bustle to expand it outwardly, said bustle being shaped to first expand on the application of the steam and hot air in a substantially straight line backwardly from the form, a back presser plate assembly carried by the base part and extending along a back portion of the form in an adjacent relation with respect thereto for limiting said bustle in its initial backward expansion, and said bustle having side folds that are expanded outwardly by the fluid after said bustle has been limited by said back presser plate assembly in its initial backward expansion. 1 t

9. In a machine as definedin claim 7, said rack having teeth engaging said front part when lowered with respect thereto for latching said front and back parts in an adjusted relation with respect to each other.

iii). In a machine as defined in claim 1, the fabric form being of nylonlike material and having portions of greater permeability to provide a greater flow of the hot drying fluid therethrough, and portions of the form representing pocketfinishing parts thereof being of nylonlike mesh material surrounded by perforated aluminum metal plates.

defined in claim 5, said heat-generating 11. In a machine for finishing a shirtlike garment having a base structure, a frame structure extending centrally upwardly from said base structure, a permeable expandable fabric form positioned in a covering relation over said frame structure, and means in the base structure for supplying dry steam and hot air upwardly into the form; the base structure having a first boxlike air introducing and blowing part and a connected boxlike air-conditioning chamber-defining second part, a top outlet portion in the chamber of said second part, a steam header unit operatively positioned in. said top outlet portion and surrounded by an air supply opening, the form having an open bottom portion, means cooperating with said open bottom portion for mounting it in a sealed-off relation about said top outlet portion, steam heating unit means in the chamber of 'said second part for heating air being introduced thereto,

means for supplying steam, means for separating out condensate from a portion of the steam being supplied and for feeding said portion as dry steam to said steam header unit, means for feeding other portions of ,the steam being supplied to said steam heating unit means, and an outlet header connected to said steam heating unit means for receiving cooled steam and condensate therefrom.

12. In a machine as defined in claim 11, a condenser unit connected to said steam outlet header to collect moisture for spray application to the outside of a garment being finished.

13. In a machine as defined in claim 11, a pair of shirttail gripping clamps, upwardly projecting arms swingably mounting said clamps on said base structure, means for swinging said arms towards and away from said form and a garment positioned thereon, and said clamps having spring means for normally closing them in a gripping relation with respect to tail portions of the garment being positioned on the form.

14. In a machine as defined in claim 11, an operating shaft extending upwardly within and along said frame structure, a series of upwardly spaced pulley wheels operatively mounted on said shaft, a first pair of said pulley wheels secured for rotation with said shaft, an operating lever, cord means connected between said lever and one pulley wheel of said first pair for actuating said shaft, a second pair of said pulley wheels being secured together and rotatably mounted on said shaft, cord means connected between said lever and one pulley wheel of said second pair for rotating said second pair in an opposite direction with respect to said first pair, cord means connecting the other pulleys of each of said pairs to opposite inner sides of the form for adjusting its chest size to correspond to the chest size of the garment being finished.

15. In a machine as defined in claim 14, said first and second pairs of pulley wheels being vertically spaced with respect to each other, a third pulley wheel secured in a spaced uppermost position on for rotation with said shaft above said pairs, and cord means connected between opposite peripheral portions of said third pulley and opposite inner sides of said form.

16. In a machine as defined in claim 15, a pair of cuffclamping sleeve-stretching units projecting upwardly from opposite sides of said base structure, each of said stretching units having clamping means for engaging a sleeve cuff of a garment positioned on the form for finishing, and operating means connected to said stretching units for moving each of them outwardly in an opposed stretching relation with respect to sleeves of the garment being finished.

17. In a machine as defined in claim 16, means for extending and collapsing each of said stretching units for adapting them to engage sleeve cuffs of both long and short sleeve garments that are to be finished.

18. In a machine as defined in claim 17 wherein the garment to be finished is positioned on and extends downwardly along the form, a back pressure plate means carried by said base structure and extending upwardly therefrom in a backwardly spaced and outer position with respect to said from, a bustle secured to and projecting backwardly from the form and having airand steam-flow passageways open to said form, said back pressure plate means being movable into and out of close adjacency with a back portion of said form and said bustle, a two-part adjustable shirt collar finishing shaper surmounting the top portion of the form and connected thereto to receive steam and dry air therefrom, means for adjusting the parts of said shaper with respect to each other to accommodate it to the size of the collar of the garment positioned on the form, a pair of inner and outer pressure plate parts carried by said base structure and extending upwardly therefrom and having one part extending within an inside portion of the form and another part extending along the outside of the form, means for moving said inner and outer parts into and out of a pressing relation with respect to each other and against a front portion of the garment being finished, at least a pair of shirttail gripping means operatively carried by and extending upwardly from said base structure, means for moving said gripping means into and out of a gripping relation with shirttail portions of the garment being finished to hold it in position on the form, a front collar clip and a front bottom clip for the garment being finished, and means operatively mounted on said base structure and extending upwardly therefrom for moving said upper and lower clips into and out of clipping engagement with the garment positioned on said form.

19. In a garment finishing machine which has a base structure, a frame structure extending upwardly from said base structure, a permeable expansible fabric form positioned in a covering mounted position on said frame structure, and means in said base structure for supplying hot drying fluid upwardly into the form; positioning means extending from adjacent armpits of the form along the inside thereof for eliminating wrinkles therein; said positioning means comprising longitudinal substantially rigid member means mounted in a vertically extending relation along opposite sides of the inside of the form, pulleys operatively carried by the frame structure, individual cord means connected to each side-mounted rigid member means and reeving over an adjacent one of said pulleys, and a weight mounted on the extending end of each said cord means for exerting tension force through said rigid member means to opposite sides of the form.

20. In a machine as defined in claim 19, each side-mounted rigid member means having a pair of spaced-apart vertically extending metal rib members, and upper and lower fabric pockets in the form and within which upper and lower ends of said metal rib members are positioned.

21. in a machine as defined in claim 20, a slide fastener extending along the form between the metal rib members of each said pair.

22. In a machine as defined in claim 19, a shaft and pulley system operatively carried along and within said frame structure below said positioning means and comprising rods mounted along the inside of the form, a vertical shaft operatively carried within said frame structure, pulleys operatively mounted on said shaft, cords connected between said pulleys and said rods, a lever means carried by the base structure, cords connected between said pulleys and said shaft to said lever means; and means for actuating said lever means to move said shaft, said pulleys and said cords to adjust the size of the form.

23. In a garment finishing machine as defined in claim 19, netlike fabric inserts in the form at locations corresponding to thickened portions of the garment to be finished for enabling a movement of the hot drying fluid through such thickened portions substantially at a rate corresponding to its movement through thinner thickness portions of the garment. 

1. In a machine for finishing a shirtlike garment having a base part, having an upright frame, having a permeable fabric form that is open at its bottom end portion and adapted to be carried by the upright frame to receive a garment thereon, and having means for supplying hot drying fluid upwardly therewithin from the base part through the open bottom end portion of the form; a pair of cuff-clamping and sleeve-stretching units projecting upwardly from opposite sides of the base part into alignment with the shoulder portions of the fabric form; each of said stretching units having a pair of opposed gripping pads, means for moving said pads into and out of clamping engagement with a sleeve cuff of a garment positioned on the form for finishing; operating means carried by the base part for moving each of said stretching units inwardly and outwardly with respect to cuff portions of the garment, and each of said cuff-gripping and sleeve-stretching units having horizontally offset adjustable means for accommodating its pair of gripping pads to both long sleeve and short sleeve shirtlike garments.
 2. In a machine as defined in claim 1, said adjustable means having an angle bracket for supporting each of said pair of opposed gripping pads and a sleeve for adjustably mounting each gripping pad with an associated one of said angle brackets.
 3. In a machine as defined in claim 1, a fluid motor cooperating with said operating means for moving each of said stretching units outwardly in a sleeve-stretching relation, and said operating means having a swing arm operatively connected between said fluid motor and an associated pair of said gripping pads.
 4. In a machine as defined in claim 1, an inner vertically extending and forwardly positioned presser plate means carried by the upright frame along an inside front portion of the form, a perforating metal strip secured along the outside of said form to receive an inner side of front parting edge portions of a shirt to be processed, an outer front presser plate means extending vertically along the outside of the form and operatively mounted for in and out swinging movement with respect to the form, and means for swinging said outer front presser plate means into and out of pressing engagement with a front portion of the garment in an aligned cooperating relation with respect to said inner presser plate means and said perforated metal strip.
 5. In a machine as defined in claim 4, a heat-resistant resin pad positioned along the inner side of said front pressure plate means, heat-generating means carried by and along said front pressure plate means, said pad being perforated to pass heat from said heating means along a front portion of shirtlike garment beinG processed, and being resilient to fit over buttons of the garment.
 6. In a machine as defined in claim 5, said heat-generating means for said front pressure plate means being an electric heating unit, and a coil heating system extending along said inner pressure plate means and connected to receive hot drying fluid from said means for supplying it upwardly from the base part.
 7. In a machine as defined in claim 1, an adjustable shirt collar finishing shaper surmounting a central top portion of the form and connected thereto to receive the hot drying fluid therefrom, said shaper having a back part mounted on and extending upwardly from the form and having a front part mounted on and extending upwardly from said upright frame, cooperating means connecting said collar parts together for adjusting movement to conform to the shape of a collar of a shirtlike garment to be finished; said cooperating means comprising, a pair of rods carried by said back collar part and slidably extending through said front part, and a rack pivotally mounted on said back part and extending through said front part to provide for backward and forward movement of said front part with respect to said back part.
 8. In a machine defined in claim 1 wherein the hot drying fluid is a mixture of dry steam and hot air, a fabric bustle secured to and projecting backwardly from the form, means between said bustle and the form for passing steam and hot air from the form into the bustle to expand it outwardly, said bustle being shaped to first expand on the application of the steam and hot air in a substantially straight line backwardly from the form, a back presser plate assembly carried by the base part and extending along a back portion of the form in an adjacent relation with respect thereto for limiting said bustle in its initial backward expansion, and said bustle having side folds that are expanded outwardly by the fluid after said bustle has been limited by said back presser plate assembly in its initial backward expansion.
 9. In a machine as defined in claim 7, said rack having teeth engaging said front part when lowered with respect thereto for latching said front and back parts in an adjusted relation with respect to each other.
 10. In a machine as defined in claim 1, the fabric form being of nylonlike material and having portions of greater permeability to provide a greater flow of the hot drying fluid therethrough, and portions of the form representing pocket-finishing parts thereof being of nylonlike mesh material surrounded by perforated aluminum metal plates.
 11. In a machine for finishing a shirtlike garment having a base structure, a frame structure extending centrally upwardly from said base structure, a permeable expandable fabric form positioned in a covering relation over said frame structure, and means in the base structure for supplying dry steam and hot air upwardly into the form; the base structure having a first boxlike air introducing and blowing part and a connected boxlike air-conditioning chamber-defining second part, a top outlet portion in the chamber of said second part, a steam header unit operatively positioned in said top outlet portion and surrounded by an air-supply opening, the form having an open bottom portion, means cooperating with said open bottom portion for mounting it in a sealed-off relation about said top outlet portion, steam heating unit means in the chamber of said second part for heating air being introduced thereto, means for supplying steam, means for separating out condensate from a portion of the steam being supplied and for feeding said portion as dry steam to said steam header unit, means for feeding other portions of the steam being supplied to said steam heating unit means, and an outlet header connected to said steam heating unit means for receiving cooled steam and condensate therefrom.
 12. In a machine as defined in claim 11, a condenser unit connected to said steam outlet header to collect moisture for spray application to the outsidE of a garment being finished.
 13. In a machine as defined in claim 11, a pair of shirttail gripping clamps, upwardly projecting arms swingably mounting said clamps on said base structure, means for swinging said arms towards and away from said form and a garment positioned thereon, and said clamps having spring means for normally closing them in a gripping relation with respect to tail portions of the garment being positioned on the form.
 14. In a machine as defined in claim 11, an operating shaft extending upwardly within and along said frame structure, a series of upwardly spaced pulley wheels operatively mounted on said shaft, a first pair of said pulley wheels secured for rotation with said shaft, an operating lever, cord means connected between said lever and one pulley wheel of said first pair for actuating said shaft, a second pair of said pulley wheels being secured together and rotatably mounted on said shaft, cord means connected between said lever and one pulley wheel of said second pair for rotating said second pair in an opposite direction with respect to said first pair, cord means connecting the other pulleys of each of said pairs to opposite inner sides of the form for adjusting its chest size to correspond to the chest size of the garment being finished.
 15. In a machine as defined in claim 14, said first and second pairs of pulley wheels being vertically spaced with respect to each other, a third pulley wheel secured in a spaced uppermost position on for rotation with said shaft above said pairs, and cord means connected between opposite peripheral portions of said third pulley and opposite inner sides of said form.
 16. In a machine as defined in claim 15, a pair of cuff-clamping sleeve-stretching units projecting upwardly from opposite sides of said base structure, each of said stretching units having clamping means for engaging a sleeve cuff of a garment positioned on the form for finishing, and operating means connected to said stretching units for moving each of them outwardly in an opposed stretching relation with respect to sleeves of the garment being finished.
 17. In a machine as defined in claim 16, means for extending and collapsing each of said stretching units for adapting them to engage sleeve cuffs of both long and short sleeve garments that are to be finished.
 18. In a machine as defined in claim 17 wherein the garment to be finished is positioned on and extends downwardly along the form, a back pressure plate means carried by said base structure and extending upwardly therefrom in a backwardly spaced and outer position with respect to said from, a bustle secured to and projecting backwardly from the form and having air- and steam-flow passageways open to said form, said back pressure plate means being movable into and out of close adjacency with a back portion of said form and said bustle, a two-part adjustable shirt collar finishing shaper surmounting the top portion of the form and connected thereto to receive steam and dry air therefrom, means for adjusting the parts of said shaper with respect to each other to accommodate it to the size of the collar of the garment positioned on the form, a pair of inner and outer pressure plate parts carried by said base structure and extending upwardly therefrom and having one part extending within an inside portion of the form and another part extending along the outside of the form, means for moving said inner and outer parts into and out of a pressing relation with respect to each other and against a front portion of the garment being finished, at least a pair of shirttail gripping means operatively carried by and extending upwardly from said base structure, means for moving said gripping means into and out of a gripping relation with shirttail portions of the garment being finished to hold it in position on the form, a front collar clip and a front bottom clip for the garment being finished, and means operatively mounted on said base structure and extending upwardly therefrom for moving said upper and lower clips into and out of clipping engagement with the garment positioned on said form.
 19. In a garment finishing machine which has a base structure, a frame structure extending upwardly from said base structure, a permeable expansible fabric form positioned in a covering mounted position on said frame structure, and means in said base structure for supplying hot drying fluid upwardly into the form; positioning means extending from adjacent armpits of the form along the inside thereof for eliminating wrinkles therein; said positioning means comprising longitudinal substantially rigid member means mounted in a vertically extending relation along opposite sides of the inside of the form, pulleys operatively carried by the frame structure, individual cord means connected to each side-mounted rigid member means and reeving over an adjacent one of said pulleys, and a weight mounted on the extending end of each said cord means for exerting tension force through said rigid member means to opposite sides of the form.
 20. In a machine as defined in claim 19, each side-mounted rigid member means having a pair of spaced-apart vertically extending metal rib members, and upper and lower fabric pockets in the form and within which upper and lower ends of said metal rib members are positioned.
 21. In a machine as defined in claim 20, a slide fastener extending along the form between the metal rib members of each said pair.
 22. In a machine as defined in claim 19, a shaft and pulley system operatively carried along and within said frame structure below said positioning means and comprising rods mounted along the inside of the form, a vertical shaft operatively carried within said frame structure, pulleys operatively mounted on said shaft, cords connected between said pulleys and said rods, a lever means carried by the base structure, cords connected between said pulleys and said shaft to said lever means; and means for actuating said lever means to move said shaft, said pulleys and said cords to adjust the size of the form.
 23. In a garment finishing machine as defined in claim 19, netlike fabric inserts in the form at locations corresponding to thickened portions of the garment to be finished for enabling a movement of the hot drying fluid through such thickened portions substantially at a rate corresponding to its movement through thinner thickness portions of the garment. 